US President Joe Biden has backed the Irish Rugby team to secure the Grand Slam in today’s crunch match against England.
He made the comments just hours before Andy Farrell’s men take on England in the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
During the Shamrock Ceremony in the White House, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that US President Joe Biden is “unmistakably a son of Ireland”.
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During the final engagement of St Patrick’s Day, Mr Biden mentioned that his cousin, former rugby ace Rob Kearney, was in the audience.
The US President then said he was “looking forward” to the rugby match today.
Mr Biden said: “My distant Irish cousins are here today, including the well-known Irish rugby player Rob Kearney.
“I want to see you after this pal.
“Rob, I expect we know, and this is no offence to anyone, but who in the room we’re rooting for in the Grand Slam between Ireland and England.
“I’m looking forward to that.”
During his performance, singer and Mullingar man Niall Horan joked that Mr Kearney keeps his relationship with the President a secret.
He said: “Mr President, I would say, Rob Kearney has kept that quiet that he is related to you.
“I’ve known Rob for a long time and he has never mentioned that.”
Mr Biden turned to the rugby ace in the audience and joked, “where is the Secret Service?”
During his own speech, Mr Varadkar said that he was looking forward to welcoming Mr Biden “home very soon.”
He presented the President with a bowl of Shamrock and a special Irish flag.
The Taoiseach said: “Every American President is a little Irish on St Patrick’s Day, but some are more Irish than others.
“Today we are celebrating our national day with a President who is unmistakably a son of Ireland. President Biden, in your life we see reflected the story of Ireland.
“It is a story of service and patriotism, of courage in the face of tragedy and, above all, of faith in the future.
“So, tonight we remember the Blewitts of County Mayo and the Finnegans of County Louth and all those who left Ireland to find a new dream in a new land.”
Laurita Blewitt, President Biden’s cousin, was at the Shamrock Ceremony with her husband Joe Brolly.
Niall Horan provided the post-speech entertainment, singing four songs. He admitted that he was nervous but said that he was “honoured” to represent Ireland at the event.
The Mullingar man also became emotional as he sang This Town, a song he said he wrote about his Westmeath hometown.
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